Ice creeper



Dec. 29, 1936. G. E. NORMAN ICE CREEPER Filed Feb. 4, 1956 Patented Dec. 29, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to devices designed for attachment to the shoe and pertains particularly to a device for preventing slipping.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an anti-slipping device or creeper which may be readily applied to the shoe and which is so designed that its use Will not interfere with normal walking or hurt the foot in any manner.

The invention broadly contemplates the provision of a pair of soft leather bodies between which are connected a number of chain members, which bodies are adapted to be joined together by the use of a buckle or any other suitable connecting means. The leather bodies are applied to the sides of the shoe at the ball of the foot with the chains extending beneath the shoe and with the bodies connected across the top of the foot.

A further object of the invention is to provide a snow or ice creeper of the above described character in which the chain elements are in two groups, one of which is longer than the other so that snow and ice will not pack in between the chains when the device is in use.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description forming part of this specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawing but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawing:-

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of the device embodying the present invention showing the same applied to a shoe.

Fig. 2 is a view in plan of the creeper device.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the device comprises two relatively broad bodies of flexible material, which are indicated by the numerals I and 2 and which are preferably of leather. Each of these bodies is formed to have a tongue extending from one side edge, the tongue on the body I being indicated by the numeral 3, while that upon the body 2 is indicated by the numeral 4, and as shown the tongue 4 is relatively long and provided with a plurality of holes for the reception of the prong of a buckle 6. The buckle 6 is attached in the usual manner to the tongue portion 3.

The edges of the bodies I and 2 opposite those sides from which the tongues 3 and 4 extend, are connected by short lengths of chain each of which is indicated by the numeral I. These chain lengths may be attached in any suitable manner to the leather bodies, the method here shown comprising engaging the ends of the chains through holes 8 in the leather bodies, although it will be obvious that other suitable attaching methods may be employed.

Any desired number of chain sections or lengths may be used, and it is preferred that certain sections be of greater length than the others so that when the device is in place upon a shoe the longer lengths will have more free movement upon the shoe sole, and by reason of this prevent the packing or clogging of snow between the chain sections. In the device as here illustrated there are four chain lengths or sections and the two intermediate ones are made longer than the outer ones so that they will hang free from the shoe sole as illustrated in Fig. 1.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that the creeper device here described may be easily and quickly applied to a shoe and although it lies across the ball of the foot it will not pinch or otherwise hurt the foot because of the soft leather bodies which carry the chain sections. In use, the chains will assist the wearer in getting traction while walking and will also prevent slipping in the event that the foot is placed upon an icy surface.

I claim: I

An ice creeper comprising two bodies of yieldable material adapted to be placed against the inner and outer sides of a shoe, each body having a long edge disposed along the sole of the shoe, means for coupling the bodies across the top of the shoe, and a plurality of chains connecting the said edges of the bodies across the bottom of the shoe sole, said chains being in parallel relation and having the outer ones of the group of lesser length than the central ones thereof whereby the said central ones will retain a degree of slackness when the said outer ones have been drawn tight across the shoe sole and will be permitted limited sliding movement over the shoe sole to prevent packing of material between the chains.

GEORGE E. NORMAN. 

